A More Excellent Way

I feel that God wants me to do a study on love, so that is the direction I will be heading.  Not sure how long the course will be, but I want to follow His leading.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16

If we are going to begin with love, we must begin here.  We love God because He first loved us.  God started the love process.  If we do not love God, it’s because we have not received and embraced His love for us.  You can’t give what you don’t have.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

Before God began to work in my heart, I had trouble accepting love.  I felt unlovable and unworthy.  I felt like I had to earn God’s love through good works.  I had to get a revelation of God’s love—that it is not earned, but freely given—that even when I was at my worst, God loved me.  

“Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.  But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Luke 7:47

Jesus was referring to the woman who broke the alabaster box so that she might anoint Jesus.  She washed His feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.  A Pharisee muttered to himself about how if Jesus knew who she was, He wouldn’t be letting her touch Him, as she was a sinner. (Prior to her encounter with Christ, she had been a prostitute).  But Jesus received her in her brokenness and forgave her of all of her sins.

“Overflowing love is the natural response to forgiveness and the appropriate consequence of faith.  But only those who realize the depth of their sin can appreciate the complete forgiveness God offers them.” (Life Application Bible Commentary)

“Biblical love is built on grace; and only when a man realizes that he is a sinner, can he love God because of redemption.” (KJV Commentary)

When we get in the presence of a holy God, our sin becomes painfully apparent.  But when we get an understanding of His mercy and grace, then we are overwhelmed by His love for us and we can love Him out of the gratitude of our hearts.